Daylily plant named ‘Stephanie Returns’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hemerocallis  cultivar of the dormant type named ‘Stephanie Returns’ is provided. The new cultivar is very floriferous and forms attractive ruffled bicolored pink/mauve/red funnel-shaped blossoms having substantial substance. The plant commonly blossoms between early June and late September in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6. The blossoms possess substantial substance and well withstand rain in view of the strength of the tepals. The new plant readily forms fans and readily forms a number of scapes per fan. The new cultivar is particularly well suited for growing as distinctive colorful ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Hemerocallis hybrida/Daylily.

Varietal denomination: cv. ‘Stephanie Returns’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis of the dormant type, and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name ‘Stephanie Returns’.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program which had as its objective the creation of a new Daylily cultivar that is intended for use as attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

The cross that resulted in the production of the new cultivar of the present invention was carried out in a controlled environment during July, 1999, at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. The female parent (i.e., the seed patent) of the new cultivar was the ‘rosy Returns’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,779) which forms smoky pink and mauve-colored blossoms having particularly desirable substance.

The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new cultivar was the ‘Romantic Returns’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,481) which forms pink blossoms also having a particularly desirable substance. Each parent is registered with the American Hemerocallis Society.

The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows: ‘Rosy Returns’×‘Romantic Returns’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plantlets were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. A number of such plants were transplanted into the field at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. during May, 2000. Selective study during July, 2001 resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.

It was found that the new Hemerocallis cultivar of the present invention is of the dormant type and possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) forms attractive ruffled bicolored pink/mauve/red         funnel-shaped flowers having substantial substance,     -   (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantially multiple         repeat blooming,     -   (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of         fans, and     -   (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the         flowering season.

The Hemerocallis×‘Stephanie Returns’ cultivar resembles some well-known cultivars, such as the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) and the ‘Happy Returns’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) in the sense that it commonly possesses an unusually long and substantially continuous blooming season of up to approximately 90 days in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6. This blooming characteristics sometimes is termed multiple repeat blooming. Such blooming commonly begins during early June and commonly ends during late September. This compares to a bloom period of less than about 30 days for over 99 percent of the hybrid Daylilies presently available in the trade.

As indicated, the Hemerocallis×‘Stephanie Returns’ cultivar exhibits attractive ruffled bicolored pink/mauve/red flowers that readily can be distinguished from the orange-yellow flowers of the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar and the medium yellow flowers of the Hemerocallis×‘Happy Returns’ cultivar. To the best of the knowledge of the originator, the new Hemerocallis×‘Stephanie Returns’ cultivar is the first long and substantially continuously blooming Daylily having flowers that exhibit a multi-colored pink/mauve/red hue and pattern.

The new cultivar can form up to 6 or more fans per year. This compares to approximately 6 to 8 fans per year for the ‘Stella D' Oro’ cultivar and the ‘Happy Returns’ cultivar. Most Daylily cultivars form only approximately 2 to 3 fans per year. Also, the new cultivar commonly forms several scapes per fan during the flowering season, unlike most Daylilies that commonly produce only one scape per fan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division was initially carried out on Sep. 1, 2002 at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A. At the time of such asexual reproduction, the original plant of the new cultivar consisted of a clump of six fans that were phenotypically identical to each other. More specifically, the clump of the new cultivar was removed from the field and the fans were divided. It has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are well retained following this asexual reproduction.

The Hemerocallis×‘Stephanie Returns’ cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides, etc.

The new cultivar is being marketing beginning in June 2006 while bearing the Registered United States HAPPY EVER APPSTER trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph was prepared on Jul. 22, 2004, and shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, a typical blossom, bud, and foliage of the original plant of the new cultivar of the present invention. The plant was being grown outdoors in the field at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. In some instances, more common color terms are provided and are to be accorded their usual dictionary significance. The original plant of the new cultivar is being described when observed during August 2005 while growing at Bridgeton, N.J., U.S.A., under field growing conditions.

-   Plant:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 67 cm at an age of one year.         -   Width.—Approximately 84 cm at an age of one year.         -   Foliage.—Form: single stem, substantially erect shape from a             fan-shaped base having narrow arching, long, keeled,             grass-like glabrous slightly-textured leaves that are             two-ranked at the base of the scape. Quantity: abundant,             with a mature plant commonly having approximately 18 leaves             per fan. Leaf Size: commonly approximately 2.5 cm in width             on average, and approximately 48 cm in length on average.             Leaf Shape: linear and long-keeled with entire margins.             Texture: glabrous. Color: Yellow-Green Group 146A. Type:             dormant with the leaves retaining little or no green during             the winter in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6b.         -   Scape.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Length: commonly             approximately 67 cm on average.         -   Disease resistance.—Typical of Hemerocallis with no             particular problems having been observed to date. -   Inflorescence     -   -   Bud.—Form: modified oblanceolate (as illustrated). Size: on             the day prior to opening commonly approximately 6 cm in             length on average and approximately 1.5 cm in width on             average. Opening Rate: commonly approximately three hours on             average. Peduncle Character: rigid and sturdy. Peduncle             Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B.         -   Flower.—Size: commonly has a diameter of approximately 8 cm             on average and a depth of approximately 10 cm on average.             Borne: singly on the branchlets of a sturdy erect rachis             which is ramulose. Each scape commonly has at least 42             peduncles, each of which divides into approximately 2             pedicels. Blooms Per Scape: Commonly ranges from 1 to 2 each             day. Tepalage: each flower consists of six perianth segments             wherein there are three outer tepals and three inner tepals             all in an imbricated arrangement. Outer Tepal Shape:             oblanceolate with slightly undulated entire margins and an             acuminate apex. Outer Tepal Texture: slightly ribbed. Outer             Tepal Size: commonly approximately 8 cm in length on average             and approximately 3.5 cm in width on average. Outer Tepal             Color: generally Red Group 43D and Yellow-Green Group 154A             at the base. Inner Tepal Size: commonly approximately 8 cm             in length on average and approximately 5 cm in width on             average. Inner Tepal Color: overall generally Red Group 36A,             Yellow-Green Group 149A at the base, followed by a band of             Red-Purple Group 60C, and veins of Red Group 43D. Blooming             Habit: the flowers commonly bloom substantially continuously             and the scape commonly is substantially continuously in             bloom for up to approximately 100 days per year in U.S.D.A.             Hardiness Zone No. 6. Based on the parentage and             observations of the new cultivar to date it is anticipated             that the plant will perform satisfactorily in U.S.D.A.             Hardiness Zone Nos. 5a through 8b. Effects of Weather: the             flowers well withstand rain damage in view of the strength             of the tepals. Lasting Quality: commonly at least 16 hours.             As with other Hemerocallis cultivars, the flower color             eventually fades somewhat during the day with the natural             effects of environmental conditions and ongoing maturity.             Fragrance: none.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen Number: six per flower. Stamen             Disposition: individually inserted at the summit of the             perianth tube. Anther Disposition: introrse. Anther Size:             approximately 7 mm in length. Anther Color: Black Group             202A. Filament Configuration: slender. Filament Length:             commonly approximately 6.5 cm on average. Filament Color:             Black Group 202A. Pollen Color: Yellow-Orange Group 17A.             Pistil Number: one per flower. Style Length: approximately 8             cm in length on average. Style Color: Red-Purple Group 60A.             Stigma Color: Red-Purple Group 60A. Ovaries: three-celled,             oblong, and becoming a loculiedally three-valved capsule.         -   Fruit.—Configuration: the seed pod is in the form of an             ovoid capsule. Color: at maturity commonly is Yellow-Green             Group 146B. Fertility: the seeds are fertile. -   Hardiness:     -   -   Cold tolerance.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 5a.         -   Heat tolerance.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 8b. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of the dormant type having the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms attractive ruffled bicolored pink/mauve/red funnel-shaped flowers having substantial substance, (b) possesses a long blooming season with substantially multiple repeat blooming, (c) exhibits a propensity to readily display a plurality of fans, and (d) readily forms a plurality of scapes per fan over the flowering season; substantially as illustrated and described. 